Ballots to remain uncounted in MI and Stein blocked in Philly. Guest: Election integrity, law expert Paul Lehto says this proves 'only option is to get it right on Election Night'. Also: Trump taps climate denier, fossil-fuel tool for EPA...

Yesterday, Lou Dobbs did his 6th straight report on the dangers of E-Voting. Today he did his 7th report in a row, we hope to have that for you tomorrow.

In yesterday's report, Dobbs introduced it by describing the "rising doubts" about Electronic Voting Machines and said those doubts "about their accuracy and integrity threaten to undermine confidence in our democracy." Right on, Lou.

The report even quotes from last year's landmark GAO report on Electronic Voting, broken here last October, and unreported by CNN (or virtually anyone else in the media) at all until yesterday! (See the graphic at upper right)

Attorney Lowell Finley of VoterAction.org, the non-partisan group filing lawsuits to stop these systems around the country, is quoted as saying, "The real danger with electronic voting is with insider fraud, who just need a few minutes of access to a voting machine or to a tabulating computer and they can wreak havoc."

Dobbs closed the segment yesterday, incredulously, with this:

DOBBS: This is --- this is becoming a very, very troubling exercise in that we have people defending results who can't even defend the process or the technology because it's proprietary and it's not being shared. And therefore, it's not auditable...And without that ability, how do you conduct a recount reliably and transparently?

We'll have a report on one of those "people defending results," Michael Haas, the Registrar of Voters in San Diego County, where the results of the 50th Congressional district U.S. House race have been corrupted by his cavalier lack of concern about the security of Diebold voting systems used in the race. He seems to have no concerns, as Finley mentioned, about "insider fraud," or of the concept that "a few minutes of access to a voting machine...can wreak havoc." More on that tomorrow.

The video of Dobbs' 6th report in a row (compliments of David Edwards, natch) is linked below:

DOBBS: The all-important midterm congressional elections are now less than five months away. And nearly one-third of all votes in this country will be cast on electronic voting machines. But rising doubts about their accuracy and integrity threaten to undermine confidence in our democracy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All you need to do is hire a kindergarten level computer hacker and the votes are yours.

PILGRIM: The county put the electronic machines in place three years ago after the contested 2000 presidential election problems. The Help America Vote Act provided funds for local and state governments to upgrade their voting systems.

REP. RUSH HOLT (D), NEW JERSEY: One of the unintended consequences of that legislation was that all over the country jurisdictions, counties, states, and so forth, hurried out to buy electronic voting machines in an effort to get away from hanging chads and butterfly ballots. And they bought machines that are unauditable. And therefore a recount is meaningless.

PILGRIM: A 2005 GAO report on electronic voting confirmed the worst fears of watchdog groups and election officials. "There is evidence that some of these concerns have been realized and have caused problems with recent elections, resulting in the loss and miscount of votes."

Lowell Finley is an activist who is suing state and local election officials over the use of e-voting machines.

LOWELL FINLEY, VOTER ACTION: The real danger with electronic voting is with insider fraud, who just need a few minutes of access to a voting machine or to a tabulating computer and they can wreak havoc.

PILGRIM: Twenty-six states now have passed legislation that in one way or another calls for voter verified paper audit trails.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PILGRIM: Now, we talked to election officials in the states of California, New Mexico and New Jersey who defend their recent primary results. But in the case of New Mexico, they've decided to go to an all-paper ballot system for the upcoming election, Lou, just to put to rest any fears that the voters may have about the systems.

DOBBS: Put to rest their fears? I would say those fears are rising right now.

PILGRIM: We talked to election officials today with those three states who had primaries last week. And they said they defend their results, but clearly everyone is re-examining their systems.

DOBBS: This is --- this is becoming a very, very troubling exercise in that we have people defending results who can't even defend the process or the technology because it's proprietary and it's not being shared. And therefore, it's not auditable, as Congressman Holt points out. And without that ability, how do you conduct a recount reliably and transparently?

PILGRIM: And some of this is on the local level, where local officials are just saying, well, they used it, we maybe should use it. So it's sort of not understood fully, I think is the fair way to say.

DOBBS: Not understood fully, and perhaps becoming more understood and more alarming as a result.

Everyone PLEASE pound Loud Dobbs and Kittey Pilgrim with supportive emails on this issue at Loudobbs@cnn.com. I don't always agree with him but the man has integrity and passion and once he gets a hold of an issue that he believes in he won't let go. The Republicans have been kissing his ass on the Dubai ports deal and Immigration. Send him all the info. you can find on black box voting everyday and lets encourage him to interview Brad on the show. He could be a very important and respected ally in this war against this assult on our Democracy. Lou,I love you...

I'm e-mailing Lou Dobbs a copy of an Op-Ed piece I submitted to The New York Times (not published) along with thanks to him for breaking the veil of censorship that has pervaded the mainstream (corporate-controlled) media since Election Day, 2004. Copies on request.

I already sent my thanks to Lou on the 12th (copy below) and I don't even live in the U.S. but I DO like his style.....he has the same bulldog tenacity that Winston Churchill had where you hang in with both teeth and fingernails until something gets accomplished.

Brad.....my apologies for the VP nomination, but I can't help but feel the VP's job would be less worriesome than running a blog, plus you also have that same bulldog tenacity so desperately needed to turn America around.

Yeahhhhh.......bradblog rules...!!!! Go get 'em tiger..!!

--------------------------

Dear Lou,

I wish to commend you on your recent reports regarding the fraudulent voting machines that are responsible for stealing your democracy.

It is high time that this issue is brought to the forefront of the media in order that the fundamental right of the American citizens to have free and honest elections is once again restored.

There is a blogger in California who has been waging this war now for a couple of years, and who tirelessly devotes most of his waking moments to attacking this issue. His name is Brad Friedman, blog site is www.bradblog.com and would no doubt welcome a chance to report on this issue on your show.

He is already a well seasoned speaker, having traveled to different cities to appear at meetings and on radio shows and is an expert on the subject of hackable voting machines.

Was it possible, myself and the other bloggers on his website would nominate him for at least the VP seat, if not the top job itself..lol..!! His motto is: "It's not about Right or Left, but Right and Wrong".

Thanks again for your continued coverage of the hot topic issues that main street media for some reason continually sweeps under the proverbial rug.

Please do as requested by a previous poster. Bombard Lou Dobbs with email urging him to stay on this issue. He should be covering it EVERY SINGLE DAY at this point, like he does the immigration issue. I have already sent him several emails and I plan to keep sending more.

Be sure to begin by THANKING him for covering the issue, but then emphasize that the election commissions are going to keep ignoring it for as long as they think they can get away with it. We need URGENT action now if we are going to have any chance at all of verifying the vote this fall.

Please, even if you are not normally an activist, this is something very simple that you can do that could make all the difference in the world.

Probably some reflection needs to be made about the subject of mere appearance of wrongdoing that applies in many professional scenarios.

Even the military tests for knowledge of it (link here, the answer is 'b').

And in politics it is all the more crucial to avoid the appearance of wrongdoing:

For more years than I care to admit I covered politics and wrote about politicians. One of the overriding rules of politics in this country is that the appearance of wrongdoing is just as deadly as actual wrongdoing.

Since the reality of this situation is, as is the case with any number of treasonous scandals, the 'truth' is NEVER going to be pimped as to become accepted as common knowledge, I'd be much more interested in finding out exactly who is giving Dobbs permission to draw public attention to this dire issue, and why.

As we all know, stories/info presented in MSM doesn't happen on a whim, is not subject to reporters/pundits/TV "news" celebrities personal views, so it logically follows that the "OK" is being given to Dobbs from somewhere above. And in keeping with MSM's record, one must suppose that the OK isn't being authorized with the intentions of exposing the truth.

I wrote to Lou last week, when Brad posted the first article about Lou covering electronic voting machine disenfranchisement. Lou is actually pro-middle class, and anti-corporation. You might not agree with everything he says, but this is true. He has a book out about outsourcing middle class American jobs.

The White House has approached the NYTimes and WaPo (proven) to suppress certain news, will they approach Lou Dobbs and CNN? Or, what corporate big-wig will approach Lou Dobbs? Keep a watch for this...

I understand your position on Dobbs, although I strongly disagree that there's a story-by-story basis relied on for MSM to subvert, distort or omit the truth; the track record is far too consistent, which has always been enforced - the favored state's crimes are always trivialized - becoming far more pronounced in the 80s and continuing to the present where the packaging/marketing/selling of a parallel "unreality" as reality has reached its zenith. Orwell was quite right, all future wars would be conducted primarily through perception management, battles for "hearts and minds," et al.

Irrespective of Dobbs' personal views, he first and foremost has an institutional role to fulfill. Don't think for a moment that he has free reign to espouse whatever view he'd like to on the air. His concern may be legit, or he may be the token rebel, it doesn't really matter: he's having to get authorization to bring attention to this issue, period. And I'm not buying, for a second, that such authorization is being given with the intent of hanging those who comprise the power structure that OWNS the media/public relations apparatus.

THE BRADBLOG IS NOW DELETING OPPOSING VIEWS BEFORE THEY REACH THE PAGES. HE IS SUPPRESSIN GYOUR OPINIONS AND MAKING SURE HIS NARROW VIEW IS THE ONLY VIEW THAT REACHES THESE PAGES. KEEP THAT IN MIND BEFORE YOU GIVE HIM MONEY, IF YOU DISAGREE, YOUR WORDS ARE NO GOOD HERE AND WILL BE DELETED.

THE FUNNY PART IS, HE IS DELETIN LINKS TO HIS OWN PAGE BECAUSE OF DISINFORMATION! THE ROVE STORY WAS AN ENDLESS TOPIC HERE. HE BLOGGED OVER AND OVER ABOUT IT.
NOW MENTIONING IT IS CONSIDERED DISTRACTING AND DISINFORMATION.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

DELETE THE BLOGS TOO BRAD. DONT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW HOW WRONG YOU ARE, THAT WOULD SLOW DONATIONS.

It makes one wonder, are trolls on someone's payroll, and if so, wouldn't you suppose that those doing the hiring might exercise a bit more diligence in selecting perspective goons capable of correct grammatical structure, as well as formulating more sustainable counter arguments? LOL ...seriously, I've never read anything from a repug backer that didn't sound as though it came from a privledged junior high jock espousing how "unfair" it is that he/she and his/her ilk are criticized over being cheating, pampered sadists.

At best, they merely rely on hijacking legitimate analysis from the left's critique of the right's censorship and unconscionablity, and inappropriately apply it to their rebuttal. It has no factual basis, but that matters not to the blind and ignorant whose political involvement doesn't rest with genuine concerns over constitutionality and humanity, but is grounded in the sports "smack-down" mentality in which humane/liberal ideals are viewed as "weak," hence, bright people of conscience are roundly held in contempt by them.

NOt so sure this is a good thing. ALthough I applaud DObbs for sticking with this issue....he has also spoken against outsourcing and the right's open-border policies for years. If those issues are any indication, then election security is already beyond the point of no return and nothing will be done for years.

Why would I? He is so narrow is his viewpoints and deletes views that oppose his own.

How many desenting voices do you see here? 2 maybe. thats because they have been banned.

The rove story was constant on here, now you get banned for mentioning it.

There is no liberal freedom values here. I can gaureentee that if there is a piece of truth Brad doesnt want you to know, he deletes it to keep you in the dark. This comment and other will be deleted as soon as he sees them. Why? If he is righteous and correct what is he afriad of?

He needs money. He is desperate for it and keeping his doner base in the dark, like the Rove situation, helps him make money.

the kooks here wont donate if he is fair. He wont get much money if you reported the Rove story. He keeps you people dumb and sending money.

And you people are the only ones that can stop it. Take your head out of the ground and DEMAND he allow comments different from his on this blog. DEMAND FREEDOM. DEMAND FAIRNESS. ONLY YOU PEOPLE CAN STOP THE INFORMATION FILTER. ONLY YOU PEOPLE ARE TELL BRAD THAT ALL VIEWPOINTS ARE WELCOME HERE, NOT JUST THE ONES THAT FALL IN LINE WITH HIS.

Brad has never censored comments, provided they weren't ad hominem attacks or sheer bad taste/filth. Get with it.

Lair -

Lou Dobbs is a big-wig at CNN and can pretty much write his own rules. I believe (you can check this) that he is part-owner and ex-president or something. I read a history of this some time ago, but have forgotten the details. Anyway, his "agenda" seems to be on the side of the gods on this issue - at least for the moment. Maybe their ratings needed a boost - whatever. Give the mainstream devil his due!

You dont know because the NEVER make it to the blog. Its a common practice he engages in and this new software enables him to do more of that. Why do you think he is installing new software? He can flag you and nothing you post will appear without his approval first. Any differing viewpoint is being flagged.

How many opposing view do you see here? Where did they go? Banned and deleted my friends. there is a MAJOR COVERUP here and information is being filtered s he sees fit. Someday, it will be yours, unless you fall lock step with his thinking.

You have seen the "disinformation" bannings. Do you know that some of them are simple links to previous posts of his that he wants you not to remember?

Go ahead and link to some Rove stories. Say his reporting was wrong, which it was, and watch as it goes bye bye.

Just keep giving him your money, and he will ensure you see all the news HE wants you to. And when reality proves him wrong, not by opinion but fact, he will surpress that info as fast as he can. He doesnt want you to know things because it keeps the money rolling in.

I would voice some concern over this readers. SPEAK UP AND BE HEARD! You liberal values say you must! Do not let this supression of opinion go without a fight!

You may not agree, but you have a right to hear. Brad will say that this is his private proPerty and he can post what he wants. Then with the next breath he asks you to hand over your money to pay for it.

DONT LET THIS HAPPEN. HE WANTS DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, HE HAS TO ANSWER TO THEM. BE A LIBERAL, NOT A BRADBLOGGER. VOTE FOR FREEDOM OF INFO, NOT SUPRESSION.

Whoever reads this I hope they take it to heart because it will soon be surpressed and deleted.

Folks, I can tell you that Lou Dobbs and Kitty Pilgrim will keep on the issue of voting machines for awhile. VoteTrustUSA is getting them information and interviews for the programs. Hopefully we can continue to get them information that is of interest to both Lou and Kitty and to their listeners.

Martin and anyone else who might think that Brad is doing any censoring of posts....

Because I am a "Guest Blogger" I have access to what's behind the "Green Door". I can tell you that Brad does NOT censor anyone unless they are just completely viscious in attacks or completely disruptive and even then there is a great deal of latitude.

Your comments got posted Martin. That should be proof that there is no one looking at comments before they show up on line. It is just not happening.

On Martin's points about the Rove story. I can tell you that Brad held off on posting anything about any impending indictment of Rove because he was not comfortable with the story at the time. I believe then there was only one time when he put up a blog to report anything about the Rove indictment. So Martin, you get to be wrong again.

John, Thank You for the clarification. I for one did not believe Martin, I read every single post he's posted, so how's that censorship Bullshit going for you Martin? Believe it or not we are not stupid enough to believe someone who only causes trouble here. I believe in Brad because he backs up everything he posts with PROOF! Besides hearing him on many radio broadcasts. Brad deserves our respect because he's earned it. John and David included. They are pulling for ALL Americans, not just the ones who believe in them. That means you too Martin.

Yeah John (listen up, Marty!) - Even then it wasn't Brad's fault - some cantankerous Bradvillian had bayed for red meat, as I recall, and Brad's a true humanitarian, no matter what else you might call him!

Just a little note, I have been ranting about the 2004 election and the machines since well 2004, but today my 73 yr old mom said she saw it on Lou Dobbs and she was quite astonished that it was finally in the MSM. She said "It makes me disheartened that even if I vote I won't know if my vote counts". I asked her what kind of voting was in play the last time she voted, Knock me over with a feather, she voted on a paper ballot with a pin to stick the ballot. A dreaded chad ballot. I thought these were outlawed after 2000, weren't they? I hope that most people still get out and vote, but now I'm wondering is this the reason Lou Dobbs is covering this issue? Trying to scare the shit out of people so they don't vote? I hope not!

Martin: We get enough of the spin you want, on all MSM TV stations. I know you'd like it to infiltrate here, too. Keep deleting it, Brad. That's not what your blog is for...another rightwing spin forum.

By the way (OT), Bush is a COWARD! The corporate MSM says he made a "surprise" visit to Iraq...he "dropped in unannounced"...If he wasn't a coward and things were working out in Iraq, he would announce his visits ahead of time, like every president EVER did visiting EVERY country they ever visited. More proof the MSM is in with the Republicans.

MSM: "Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq today", "Bush dropped in on Iraq unannounced." Far be it for the MSM to say, "Why doesn't Bush announce his Iraq visits ahead of time???"

Bush read "My Pet Goat", while 3,000 Americans he was responsible to protect died in the WTC. Coward!

Martin, I think you will see your "brad suxorz and blocks posts" posts deleted. Why? Because you are making accusations that have no merit.

First, "The rove story was constant on here, now you get banned for mentioning it" is not exactly accurate. There was SOME Rove coverage a while back, but I barely recall seeing much of it here at Brad Blog.. That is, your assertion of it being "constant" is false. And, on what basis are you saying that gets comments about Rove pulled now? Have you tried saying something like "Rove will not be prosecuted" or "Charges against Rove said to be dropped, according to Luskin (Rove's lawyer)" ? See, those go through.. so what the hell are you talking about?

For a few days, while putting in the new system, MOST of us were losing MOST of our posts. Now, it seems to be a lot more stable. Your attacks on Brad seem unfounded.. For that, they SHOULD be deleted.. Yet, I bet Brad leaves them and simply comments to your delusion.

And the "reason" for why the new system was put in was explained. Some of the right-wing nutjobs (I can't immagine a "liberal" attacking this site) were spamming and attacking the site. The new system prevents most of those attacks and therefore should protect the "site" from malicious attacks. It has nothing to do with "posting".

Of all the things I can immagine, the only one that seems reasonable is that pRicky might have gotten himself banned (in a thread I've not seen).. But then, pRicky never really does talk ON TOPIC, nor does he -ever- offer truth or insight to any discussions. He's purely inflamitory.. and if he got banned for that (after being WARNED), GOOD..

Anyway.. To the thread.. As with "Liar", I worry about the motivations as well. This could be their poster child for "see? nothing wrong, sorry".. by having the "hype" now and getting everyone riled up about "electronic voting machines".. They could then find -some- way, in a few days, of showing that "this" election "was correct".. It could then (after much hype tossed at it now) be used to say "see? we got all worried, and our worries were for nothing.. In the end, this all works out, the electronic based system is fine". We won't know for possibly days if that's the "plan", but I too find it hard to believe that "some" people are allowed to talk about this on prime time. The MSM talking about it (in this current culture) scares me a bit.. But, we'll see.. We'll wait and see..

Brad, OUR views are being suppressed in the MSM (except for Democracy NOW!), and they are insulted that a private blog will not let them publish spin here! These people are definitely shills. They are only interested in getting misinformation and spin on your blog. They really don't care about legitimate debate.

I especially like the bitching about a "liberal blog" not putting up stories that are "bad for liberals".. Is that same standard being applied over at your wingnut sites? I'd guess that's a big, fat, NO! They don't talk about their pugs getting in trouble, they just talk about the libs pissing on their pugs when they get in trouble.

Hey, pRicky.. go Cheney yourself, ok?

And nothing about the topic, pRicky? Nothing about national coverage about how these machines leave NO room for "confidence" because they are so bug/error prone, and so subject to tampering? Ok.. keep with your drivel about "we won! you suxor! eat it!".. Though, when more and more people wake up and get these machines out, and the Dems take back all the arms of power from your criminal heros, we'll be happy to have you come back and explain how "your party" is the "majority party"..

As a point of note, the MSM is already grooming us for the stealing of the 2006 elections..

Going from 30% to 40% on the news of Zarqawi's death, we hear that the pResident's approval is "up". Someone that may or may not have died once before, and someone that may or may not have had any serious influence on the (very very few) terrorists in Iraq (that we brought there with our invasion). Seems people are feeling "better" about killing hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis because we got a terrorist that we put in Iraq..

Couple the above with the Decider predicting that the GOP, failing in Congress with a 24% approval rating, is "on target with plans that work"..

We're ripe for the screwing of America.. again..

(Brad, I have a link that won't work in the link stuff.. not sure if it's total length or other things.. here's the link --- http://kevxml2adsl.veriz...i=&feed=ap&top=1 --- .. it's breaking stuff!) The above URL is the Decider predicting victory.

Martin -
I think a lot of the comments have different number so yes Brad has probably deleted some. When I was sending a Brad Blog page by email I thought one of my own comments had been removed then found it a bit further down the page with a different number and I guess that means a different link. He should probably delete some of mine as they are full of typo's which I guess might make me look like a conspiracy theorist wearing a tin foil hat. Not good for the blog and the cause so I will try a bit harder. Its not nice to see your comments deleted but for a while this blog was looking like the repbublican propaganda machine had taken over, disjointing the whole message and purpose of the blog and I am glad this has stopped. Remember that Brad has not stopped you posting on your own blog so he has not taken away your right to speak. There are lots of free blog sites on the web so go get one.

The "opposing views" which you want me to see here are already available to me, EVERY DAY via my local newspaper, and EVERY MINUTE via my television. Your Karl Rove story is on the front page of my newspaper today. I don't want Brad to waste his time, or mine, covering stories which have already been covered everywhere.

Are you about to tell me that the newspaper and the television don't count, because right-wing views are ignored by the mainstream media? Don't even try to go there. Do you want to know who else is on the front page of my local newspaper? Ann Coulter. You can't get any more right-wing than her, without actually growing cloven hoofs and horns and a tail. And her views are obviously NOT being ignored by the so-called mainstream media.

Brad, I think you are practicing exactly the right amount of censorship.

Lair of The Minotaur (#32): some of the disinformation pushers are morons, but some are literate and clever. If you look at the BBWD web site, you will see examples of both levels of writing, posted by the same author! Here is my reply to one of their more well-written pieces of disinformation:

Re: #54 ..it's okay, I end up selecting a different user name every time I browse Brad's blog. Guess I should pick one and stick with it.

Back to Dobbs: Peg C and John Gideon indicate otherwise, although I tend to agree with you that the focus will either be allowed to fizzle out, thus cuing the public toward a "non issue" stance - which isn't difficult to do - or, as you suggest, the focus is a set up to pave the way for a strong counter-thrust, appeasing denialists and fascists alike.

Nothing is left to chance when it comes to MSM stenography, and despite Dobbs' clout and perhaps even his personal desire to push the issue front and center, he does answer to others above him - if he were that influential, he wouldn't be in front of the camera, he'd be well away from it where the decisons are made, orders received, pressure applied, about what does and what does not get "reported;" how much, how little, within what framework, and why.

This is a central fallacy of right wingers and Bushbots: the belief that those "liberal" reporters, be they in front of a camera, or composing a story for a major periodical, are allowed to "spin" the story to fit their own personal weakling pinko leanings.

As is typical of the wildly delusional, such a view is largely devoid of reality, and is psychologically projective in nature as the exact opposite of that very scenario routinely occurs, and does so to the extent that its broader aim is achieved: shift the entire debate, the entire public discourse, far to the right as is possible while simultaneously calling it by a fictitious name, defang it through euphemistic/Orwellian terminology, while demonizing the conscientious for what amounts to not being so ignorant as to fall for the propaganda.

Both of your posts are very well constructed. Writng must come naturally to you. These sort of posts would take me ages because of a slight brain injury (not obvious on the outside) which makes concentration difficult for me. It does pain me though that you are having to constantly devote your obvious writing skills and intellect to fending off disinformation from shills (probably paid). This blog is one of the only places to get inforamtion on the issue that will forever change the US and the western world for the worst if people don't get the information and act soon.

I will say it again that in Australia the right wing government is about to start using E-voting machines with no paper trail. The right wing government in Ireland tried to introduce these machines with no paper trail, but the press took up the issue and the people would not allow it. They still do however have enough machines to use throughout Ireland. In my view they need a bomb dropping on those machines (not on people)to stop anyone ever trying to use them. In my country we have a right wing party who are polling neck and neck with our left wing government.If the right wing take power I believe the machines will show up here pretty quickly and they will help us vote like the Help American Vote Act. Its title belies what they are trying to do, help you vote for them.
The whole western world could soon become a right wing facist dictatorship if everyone does not act soon. There could be nowhere left to go in the world where we can speak freely. There will be very dark times ahead if people do not act soon.

No matter how dense the clouds of ignorance and disinformation become the truth is still there.

Brad if you suceed in your goal with this site which is to protect democracy and people, you will be forever in the history books of the future and have the gratitude of many. I couldn't live in the type of world that could be dawning soon if demcracy dissapears. You are a real hero. Nobody who knows the truth of what is going on can dispute that.

You are starting to make a real differnce. People are starting to listen and to speak.

His second link yields a Doonsbury comic. The only reference to Rove on that page is the navigation header:
"« PREVIOUS "More on Alleged Traitor Karl Rove...""

His third link is an article about Libby in which the only mention of Rove is in the closing line:
"RAW STORY has the text transcript [pertaining to the Libby story] and reports that Rove's legal team expects a decision on his indictment "at any time"."

His fourth link is a story about Rush Limbagh titled:
"Rush Unglued Over RoveGate" beyond a single sentence about Joe Wilson's call for Bush to fire Rove, no other mention of Rove in the story.

Lair of The Minotaur's comment #32 rings true again.

By the way Martin - you left a bunch of comments early this morning which you predicted would not last.
They're still there!

Thank you Brad Friedman, Amy Goodman, Bev Harris, LINK-TV & FSTV. You've made things bearable and given many of us hope. Our Republican government, corporate America, and the MSM, and the military industrial complex have become one, and we are fighting to enlighten people about it. Electronic voting machines made by Corporate GOP companies in league with corporate MSM suppressing these stories are what is ruining America.

A prime example of how the MSM is in bed with the Republicans, is the way they say "Bush made a surprise appearance in Iraq" and "Bush made an unannounced visit to Iraq", instead of asking "Why does Bush have to sneak into a country he's visiting, and saying it's safe there?" He's a COWARD, like when he read "My Pet Goat" when 3,000 people died in the WTC...people he was responsible to keep safe.

You're right, it is strange that Lou Dobbs has been given permission to report this story.

I am paranoid these days (Gee),and wonder if the the issue is getting so much exposure that they simply can't ignore it any longer, but Lou at sometime will exclaim that his skeptecism has been squelched. Maybe after all the Hugo Chavez machines are banned.

Thanks to all who offered kind words. A rare treat given how such debates tend to go. Usually when I chime in at a forum I'm immediately deemed a "conspiracy theorist."

#70/Floridiot, as in the Bushevics? ...well, no, actually the context in which I used "pinko" reflects the jingoism of flag-waving, adamant right wingers and their brand of "All Amurikan" hyperbole directed against conscientious objectors.

Dated jargon, sure, but its place of origin and underlying intent remain steadfast: anyone criticial of the "home team's" actions/motives/polcies is considered unAmerican, and way out of line for being so rude as to dare criticize the avarice and injustice of imperial ambitions.

The idea behind the particular form of propaganda that results in average people lapsing into salivating, goggle-eyed, Bushco worshipping zombie automatism is the mass manipulation of ignorance {lack of knowledge/awareness} along with specific innate human tendencies, and what we know of how they manifest within mass society.

Basically, the idea is to get people to suppress their natural inclanation to care about others. It has to be eliminated/distorted/reduced from the top down. That's why the big rhetorical push for, say, free markets; it plants the seeds that when you encounter Have Nots, you shouldn't really care because each is supposed to be a wealth maximizer, and if someone falls behind for whatever reason, that's just too bad for them. You're not supposed to examine how such systems are rigged, that's "unAmerican." You're supposed to parrot the prevailing propaganda justifications, or attend church services so you'll feel a bit better about your moral choices.

So if natural emotion has been systematically driven out of the public mind, supporting systems of submission to private tyranny, usually over the backs of others, be it here or abroad or in Central/Latin America, becomes perfectly reasonable, justifiable. This is why the pseudo-theological component is so crucial to the right wing: when conducting one's self in a manner completely adverse to Christian tenets, you need the correct packaging in order to sell your position for public consumption - sell it as the opposite of what it is. And I don't see this administration as being all that clever with it, as some insist they are. They're snide, forceful and awkward. Embarrassingly clumsy even. The sort of charming bullies that appeal only to the lowest common denominator. And that's what creeps me out all the more, that as blatant as they are with their used-car-salesman lowballing tactics, millions of people still suck it up. Hunter Thompson's omen concerning the Bushies was spot on: "Big Darkness coming. Count on it."

But I'm rambling way off topic now...

#71/Larry Bergan ..speaking of Hugo Chavez/Venezuela, the splendidly irreverent Greg Palast asserts that the next "war" will be there, and not Iran ..although I've read that preparations are long underway in Iran{?}

Alright Lair Sunshine I get your context, but mine is from reading Wiki, short quote "However, certain anti-communist authors have disputed the view of fascism as a reaction against socialist revolutionary movements and instead stressed what they believed to be essential similarities between communism and fascism in both theory and practice. The noted Austrian School economist Friedrich Hayek, author of The Road to Serfdom, argued that various modern totalitarian movements, including fascism and communism, have common philosophical roots both springing from the opposition to the classical liberalism of the 19th century. Anti-communists arguing from these positions see it as far more than a coincidence that Benito Mussolini himself was an enthusiastic Marxist socialist and a prominent member of the Italian Socialist Party before the World War I, while many philosophical founders of fascism, such as Sergio Panunzio and Giovanni Gentile, came from a Marxist or syndicalist background."
Can you see why I think the Pinko label is appropriate ?Link

In short I guess I could say
Have you noticed that most the far right neo-cons we have today were probably far left Marxists at one time ?
These dudes didn't walk from gate to gate, they hopped right over the fence IMO

I wish people would quit calling Karl Rove a genius. Greg Palast starts a fake website with the same name as a Bush website that is collecting messages coordinating vote theft that ends in ORG instead of COM and gets away with it.